Chinese culture is also eating culture. You might already know that Chinese greet each other by asking: “Have you eaten yet?” “What have you had?” But you probably don’t know that these are potentially larger questions – depends on how you answer them:
“I’ve been eating too much.” means you’ve been minding other people’s business;
“I’m just muddling rice.” means you’re not caring about you job;
“I’m well fed.” means you’re doing well;
“I’m having vinegar.” means you’re jealous of something.
A job is an “rice bowl“;
To live on savings is to “chew the old root“;
Being selfish is to “eat alone“;
Unable to speak up is to “eat one’s tongue“;
Not keeping your word is to “eat your word“;
Not understanding something thoroughly is to “bolt down dates“;
To be widely circulated is to be “hot in everyone’s mouth“;
Being a bully is “eating people“;
To be prosecuted is to “eat lawsuit“;
Taking advantage of women is “eating tofu“;
Being rejected is “eating turtle“.